Keywords: HIV/AIDS, education, vulnerable children
I. INTRODUCTION
Vulnerable children can be defined as children whose safety, well-being or development is at
significant risk. Amongst others, such children can include children orphaned due to AIDS, children infected
with HIV, children caring for terminally sick parents with AIDS, etc. The extent to which such children can be
said to be vulnerable will vary from place to place and community to community.
Education is a basic human right for all children, as recognized in the Convention on the Rights of the
Child [1]. A child who has access to quality primary schooling has a better chance in life. A child who knows
how to read, write and do basic arithmetic has a solid foundation for continued learning throughout life.
Education is also critically important to children’s social integration and psychosocial well-being. School
attendance helps children affected by trauma to regain a sense of normalcy and to recover from the psychosocial
impacts of their experiences and disrupted lives.
In the world today, children and societies who lack access to quality education are disadvantaged in
terms of income, health and opportunity. For orphans and vulnerable children in particular, the issues raised
above underscore the importance of education in the lives of orphans and vulnerable children and point to the
opportunities it can provide.
Treatment for HIV infection has enabled more children and youths to attend school and participate in
school activities therefore children and youths with HIV infection should receive the same education as those
with other chronic illnesses. A child who has access to quality primary schooling has a better chance in life.
Education is also critically important to children’s social integration and psychosocial well-being. School
attendance helps children affected by trauma to regain a sense of normalcy and to recover from the psychosocial
impacts of their experiences and disrupted lives [2].
Barriers to education for orphans and vulnerable children affected by HIV stand in particular need of such an
education intervention as they are amongst the children most in danger of becoming infected with HIV due to
economic hardship, reduced parental care and protection and increased susceptibility to abuse and exploitation.
*Corresponding Author: Dr. Asha Menon
HOD and Associate Professor, Dept of Human Development, S.P.N.Doshi
Women’s College, Mumbai, India

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HIV/AIDS- A Potential Barrier To Education for Young, Vulnerable Children
These factors contribute to the barriers orphans and vulnerable children face when pursuing an education.
According to Cooper et al. [3] these barriers can be categorized as:
1. within the child, through impaired health, including impaired development, and through emotional stress;
2. within the family, including the child but adding the dynamics of the family’s function as a group;
3. within the community; and
4. within the school system and the school.
Considerations in the classroom
Within the school there is often stigmatization and discrimination. This arises especially in HIV from a
fear of infection coupled with a lack of understanding of the disease. However, infection is not the only cause of
discrimination and more fortunate children often sense vulnerability in their companions and pick on victims.
School may become less appealing for the child. Unfortunately, the teachers and the peer group may not be
sensitive to the needs of the vulnerable child. Without protection, these children may drop out of school.
For the infected child, attendance is also likely to be affected by bouts of illness, leading to frequent and
sometimes prolonged absences. This should occur less often when children are on highly active antiretroviral
treatment (HAART), in fact the child may be thriving and show no sign of illness at all. But things do not
always go so smoothly. Because children often miss doses of medication, they may well have only partially
suppressed viral replication. Both in school and in a troubled home, the child is having emotional reactions
which must not be forgotten. The child may withdraw, feel shame or dwell on the situation. Their concentration
and work at school will suffer. Children are especially likely to show physical symptoms that are an attempt to
resolve their emotional conflicts, because of the immature symbolic expression of their thoughts and feelings
[4].
In high HIV prevalence countries, many teachers are also infected. Increasingly, teachers have access
to antiretroviral drugs. There will be many classrooms in which a teacher on HAART is instructing pupils on the
way in which good blood cells keep bad viruses suppressed and how taking medicine helps the good cells to be
on top in the war, while knowing that something similar is happening, and perhaps sometimes failing to happen,
in his/her own body [5]. Because of the association of HIV infection with anger, confusion and denial on the
part of adults who know their diagnosis, it is impossible to predict the average response to this on the part of
teachers, although the range of responses will certainly be wide.
Considerations beyond the classroom
Teachers need some sensitivity to the difficulties that HIV affected children face. The pupils are often from
impoverished households where sickness, tiredness and a sense of sadness pervade. Children will be affected in
their interactions with peers, for example in play. Play is important for development, as teachers have classically
been foremost in recognizing. The sensitivity of teachers can only be enhanced by in-service training and
workshops designed to promote awareness.
Needs of girls
A special concern for programs seeking to enable the access to quality education of orphans and vulnerable
children is the needs of girl children. In India girls’ education frequently falls behind that of boys for many
reasons. These include factors such as parents’ and care-givers’ decision to prioritize the use of scarce resources
on the education of boys and cultural expectations on the division of labor that make girls more likely to have
tasks that prevent them from attending school such as household chores or caretaking of younger siblings or sick
members of the family. Vulnerability is likely only to exacerbate the impact of such factors, creating a vicious
cycle in which the vulnerable girl child becomes ever more likely to become the mother of vulnerable children
[1].
In the Indian context it is found that families are ostracized in the society because of HIV/AIDS.
Because of this, children are denied access to education. Keeping the above points in view this study was taken
up to find out how HIV/AIDS is a potential barrier to education for young, vulnerable children and what role
can the community play to support these children and family members who are living with HIV/AIDS.

II.
1.
2.
3.

OBJECTIVES

To ascertain the reasons for children with HIV/AIDS for not coming to school.
To ensure access to school for HIV/AIDS children.
To develop community support groups for children who are living with HIV/AIDS.

HIV/AIDS- A Potential Barrier To Education for Young, Vulnerable Children
III.

METHOD

50 HIV Positive children were selected for the study from in and around Mumbai. Out of these 20 were
girls and 30 were boys ranging in the age group of 10-15 years. A structured questionnaire was used to collect
data from the respondents. The data was analyzed using statistical tests.

IV.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

The study revealed that 65% of the school denies enrolment to children with HIV/AIDS. The greatest
concern of affected children in relation to their schooling was ostracism and humiliation by their peers (85%),
who refuse to share tables at school, share lunch, or play with them.

Fig 1: Reasons for not coming to school
In this study it was also found that the teachers need more sensitivity to the difficulties that HIV/AIDS affected
children face.73% of the teachers ignored the children with HIV/AIDS in the class. 66% of the teachers did not
allow them to participate in school activities. 18% of the children did not attend school because of impaired
health.
Table 1: Comparison between boys and girls for not coming to school
Groups
N
Mean
S.D
t value
df
p
Group1:Girls

20

11.64

4.212

Group2:Boys

30

15.00

1.555

3.74

30.42

.05

The above table depicts significant difference in the reasons for girls and boys with HIV/AIDS for not
coming to school. For girls the main reasons for not coming to school were sick parents and ostracism and
humiliation by their peers. Whereas for boys the main reasons for not coming to school was that the teachers
being less sensitive to their needs and ostracism and humiliation by their peers. Both boys and girls agreed that
impaired health conditions, medication and denial of admission are also causes of concern.
The children are often from impoverished households where sickness, tiredness and a sense of sadness
pervade. These children should be provided with alternative education, School drop-out prevention, tutoring and
skills training for older children especially those out of school. There is a need for Community support groups
for children and family members who are living with HIV with emotional support, services and assistance to
support families affected by HIV/AIDS in ways that enable them to stay together and maintain their home and
training for those in the community who interact with HIV/AIDS affected families, and peer education programs
have to be conducted in various places by involving children and adolescents in age-appropriate peer education
*Corresponding Author: Dr. Asha Menon
HOD and Associate Professor, Dept of Human Development, S.P.N.Doshi
Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s College, Mumbai, India

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HIV/AIDS- A Potential Barrier To Education for Young, Vulnerable Children
and education of others in their communities. Such approaches not only provide a mechanism for educating
about HIV/ AIDS but also encourage confidence and self-esteem in those children and young people who are
involved.

V.

CONCLUSION

We should ensure access to school by promoting a safe and supportive environment by reducing stigma
and changing attitudes of teachers and students. The school should also provide life skills training to children,
teachers, administrators and parents, create opportunities for recreation and creativity, promote flexible school
hours, and develop instructional materials to support out-of-school learning that could be used by children who
have to miss school. It is recommended that Children with HIV/AIDS infection should have the same rights as
those without infection to attend school and receive education. There is a need to advocate for protecting
children’s right to education by creating new policies and laws and enforcing existing ones. This will go a long
way in bringing HIV/AIDS infected children to the school environment.

RECOMMENDATIONS
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Children with HIV infection should have the same right as those without infection to attend school
and receive education.
Children with HIV infection should have access to special education and other related services
according to their needs as the disease progresses.
Continuity of education must be ensured for children with HIV infection and home schooling.
Confidentiality of HIV infection status should be respected and maintained.
The doctor should maintain appropriate communication with the school to facilitate the education
of children in their care.

REFERENCE
[1].
[2].
[3].
[4].
[5].

Coombe, C. (2002). “HIV/AIDS and Education.” Editorial in Perspectives in Education, Vol. 20, No. 2.
UNICEF (1989). Committee on the Rights of the Child 1989. Convention of the Rights of the Child, 1948,
http://www.unicef.org/crc/crc.htm.
Cooper, S A, Smiley, E, Morrision, J, Williamson, A and Allan, A (2007).Mental ill health in adults with intellectual disabilities:
prevalence and associated factors, British Journal of Psychiatry, 190, 27–35.
Kelly, M. (2002). “Defeating AIDS Through Education.” A discussion paper prepared for the first Caribbean consultation on
HIV/AIDS and education. Jamaica.
Shaeffer, S.(1994). The Impact of AIDS on Education: A Review of Literature and Experience.” Paris: UNESCO, Section for
Preventive Education.